To the editor:

I believe a communitywide thank you ought to be extended to the Lawrence police for quickly providing safety to the overwhelming crowd of 1,200 that assembled to march to Save Our Neighborhood Schools on Saturday, Feb. 6. The police quickly and ably stopped traffic southbound on Massachusetts to provide adequate room for the march from Liberty Hall to South Park. It is not often that such spontaneous participation and powerfully displayed passions in a march occur, and the police handled it beautifully.

The sentiment from the march was clear: The Lawrence community is unified in ensuring that no schools close in response to the current budget shortfall. The Lawrence police responded to the expression of this sentiment by ensuring the well-being of the participating community. We all hope that the school board will respond in kind.